Musical training pot



April 16, 1957 HEADLEE 2,788,764

MUSICAL TRAINING POT Filed June 7, 1956 2| 7 INVENTOR. a FRANK HEADLEE United States Patent MUSICAL TRAINING POT Frank Headlee, Searcy, Ark.

Application June 7, 1956, Serial No. 589,984

6 Claims. (Cl. 116-67) This invention relates to improvements in infants dry closets and is concerned more particularly with infants toilet pots of the portable type adapted for use at home or when traveling.

. A general object of the invention is to provide a device which is pleasing and attractive to children and, in this connection, which embodies a music box or the like which is adapted to play nursery rhymes or other baby melodies when the device is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the music box and its operating elements are concealed within closure walls and which accordingly are protected against damage from tampering and from water during the necessary washing and cleaning of the pot or bowl portion of the device.

Still another object is to provide a device of the foregoing character which possesses a base and balance construction which tends to prevent tilting when the device is in use.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is compact and light in weight and there fore easily transportable yet which is extremely durable In use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention has been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly broken away of a device constructed in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view also partly broken away of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, the device as shown comprises a base or pedestal portion 16 having outwardly and downwardly flaring sidewalls preferably forming a rearwardly extending portion 12 which tends more securely to balance the device when it is occupied. The base or pedestal has a hollow or recessed under portion 14 and within this recess there is disposed a spring motor operated music box or the like 16 of any conventional character. The music box 16 is preferably supported on the upper surface of a plate 18 extending transversely of the recess 14 and secured therein in any suitable manner such as by the screws 20 extending through the pedestal sidewalls. A winding key 21 for the spring motor of the music box 16 may depend through the plate 18, as shown in Fig. 2, but it will be apparent that the music box otherwise is concealed and protected within the recess 14 by the plate 18.

A bowl or pot portion 22 is supported upwardly of the base 10 and is provided with a seat 24 and a top or cover 26 pivotally attached to the bowl as indicated at 28.

Connected between the base 10 and the upper portion of bowl 22 and preferably extending rearwardly thereof above the extended portion 12 of the base is a hollow housing or web portion 30 which, as shown, provides an elongated upright closure in communication with the recess 14 but disposed outside of the walls of the bowl 22. The housing 30 forms a convenient point for the attachment of a carrying handle 32 for the device and the interior thereof provides a protective closure for the music box operating elements now to be described.

As shown, a brake rod 34 extends through the opening between the closure 30 and the recess 14 of the base and has the inner end thereof operatively attached in any suitable manner to the brake or other control means for the music box 16. The opposed end of brake rod 34 may be carried, as shown, by one end of a pivot link or rocker arm 36 which is pivotally attached to the outer wall portion of the closure 30 by a pivot pin or the like 38. An upright trip rod 40, also positioned within the housing 30, has its lower end secured to the opposed end of rocker arm 36 and the upper extremity thereof projects upwardly of the housing 30 adjacent a bottom portion of the seat 24. A sleeve 42 and coil spring means 44 are provided at the upper end portion of the trip rod 40 and are so arranged that the spring means 44 tends normally to elevate the trip rod 43 and to tilt the seat 24 slightly upwardly as shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2. It will be apparent that when the seat 24 is depressed or occupied the rod 40 will be pressed downwardly thus to turn the rocker arm 36 which in turn actuates the brake rod 34 for releasing the brake or other control means of the music box 16 so that the same may play whatever turn may be selected to please the occupant of the device. It will also be apparent that when such pressure is released, the seat 24 will return to its normal upwardly tilted position and the rod 34 will be actuated to brake or stop operation of the music box 16.

The device as above described may be molded or cast or otherwise fabricated of any suitable material such as plastic, or light weight metal and, if desired, the base 10, bowl 22 and upright housing 30 may be integrally formed.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not confined to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described but is capable of all such modifications thereof as come Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a pedestal including downwardly and outwardly flaring side walls forming a recessed base having a rearwardly extended portion, a bowl supported upwardly of said pedestal, a hollow housing web extending rearwardly of said base and bowl and upwardly from said base to the upper portion of said bowl, the said housing being in open communication with the recess of said base, a seat pivotally supported at the upper portion of said bowl, a plate member supported in the recess of said base, a music box including a brake supported on said plate member, a brake rod for said music box brake extending through the opening between said housing and the recess of said base, a rocker arm pivotally supported intermediate its length within said housing, one end of said brake rod being operatively connected to said music box brake and the other end of said brake rod being connected to one end of said rocker arm, an upright trip rod within said housing, the lower end of said trip rod being connected to the other end of said rocker arm and the upper end of said trip rod projecting upwardly of said housing adjacent a bottom portion of said seat, and spring means connected between the upper end portion of said trip rod and said bottom portion of said seat tending normally to elevate said trip rod and to tilt said seat upwardly, the arrangement being such that 3 when said seat is occupied said trip rod is depressed whereby to actuate said music box.

2. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a pedestal including downwardly and outwardly flaring side walls forming a recessed base having a rearwardly extended portion, a bowl supported upwardly of said pedestal, a hollow housing web extending rearwardly of said base and bowl and upwardly from said base to the upper portion of said bowl, the said housing being in open communication with the recess of said base, a seat pivotally supported at the upper portion of said bowl, a plate member supported in the recess of said base, a music box including a brake supported on said plate member, a brake rod for said music box brake extending through the opening between said housing and the recess of said base, an upright trip rod within said housing, the lower end of said trip rod being operatively connected to said brake rod and the upper end of said trip rod projecting upwardly of said housing adjacent a bottom portion of said seat, and spring means connected between the upper end portion of said trip rod and said bot-tom portion of said seat tending normally to elevate said trip rod and to tilt said seat upwardly, the arrangement being such that when said seat is occupied said trip rod is depressed whereby to actuate said music box.

3. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a pedestal including downwardly and outwardly flaring side walls forming a recessed base having a rearwardly extended portion, a bowl supported upwardly of said pedestal, a hollow housing web extending rearwardly of said base and bowl and upwardly from said base to the upper portion of said bowl, the said housing being in open communication with the recess of said base, a seat pivotally supported at the upper portion of said bowl, a music box supported in the recess of said base, and means enclosed within said housing and recess and separated from said bowl operable when said seat is depressed to actuate said music box, the said means ineluding an operating rod projecting upwardly of said housing adjacent a bottom portion of said seat.

4. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a pedestal including downwardly and outwardly flaring side walls forming a recessed base having a rearwardly extended portion, a bowl supported upwardly of said pedestal, a hollow housing web extending rearwardly of said base and bowl and upwardly from said base to the upper portion of said bowl, the said housing being in open communication with the recess of said base, a seat pivotally supported at the upper portion of said bowl, a plate member supported in the recess of said base, a music box supported on said plate member, and means enclosed within said housing and recess and separated from said bowl operable when said seat is depressed to actuate said music box.

5. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a pedestal having a recessed portion, a bowl supported upwardly of said pedestal, a hollow housing web extending laterally of said base and bowl and upwardly from said base to the upper portion of said bowl, the said housing being in open communication with the recess of said pedestal, a seat pivotally supported at the upper portion of said bowl, a music box supported in said pedestal recess, and means enclosed within said housing and recess and separated from said bowl operable when said seat is depressed to actuate said music box.

6. A portable infants dry closet which comprises, a recessed base, a bowl supported upwardly of said base, closure walls extending laterally of said base and bowl and upwardly from the recess of said base to the upper portion of said bowl, a music box supported in the recess of said base, and means disposed within said closure walls and recess and outside the walls of said bowl for actuating said music box.

Allen i Sept. 12, 1922 Harris Feb. 2, 1954 

